Ever since Final Fantasy XI in 2002, mainline Final Fantasy titles have forsaken turn-based combat in favor of either real-time combat or tab-targeting MMO combat, with various mixed results.
However, it seems that Square Enix may be starting to realize that having the Final Fantasy series go back to its turn-based roots may not be a bad idea.
An Investment Media Reporter by the username of @yuzz__ on X (as translated by @Genki_JPN), says they recently attended a shareholders meeting at Square Enix and asked if they would like future Final Fantasy titles and Dragon Quest to have 'command-based' combat (or more commonly turn-based combat in the west).
Square Enix reportedly say they are aware of Expedition 33 and that they value turn-based RPGs!At the Square Enix shareholders meeting one investor said they would like the new Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games to be turn-based and highlighted Expedition 33's success as an… https://t.co/VZW6wNwEJJ pic.twitter.com/7w9OVYx2r4June 25, 2025
Referencing the recent RPG hit, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, @yuzz__ noted its popularity and massive commercial success as a reason why Final Fantasy games should have 'command-based' combat again in order to be successful.
Square Enix responded, saying that "they are aware of Expedition 33 and consider command-based RPGs to be Square Enix’s origin and foundation. They value the command-based RPG genre and plan to continue delivering games in this style in the future."
This statement could potentially mean Dragon Quest 12 will remain turn-based and future mainline Final Fantasy games may return to turn-based combat again, and I'm all for it.
I would kill for a mainline Final Fantasy game to be turn-based again.
Now I have nothing against Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy XVI, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, as they are fine games in their own right.
However, turn-based combat is part of the reason why people (myself included) fell in love with the early Final Fantasy games to begin with.
Yet this real-time action-oriented direction the franchise has been on has consistently failed to meet Square Enix's lofty expectations.
Meanwhile, the Final Fantasy Remasters dominated the Xbox store charts when they were ported to Xbox, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 utterly destroyed Square Enix's gaslighting over turn-based combat by selling over 3.3 million copies while winning universal acclaim.
I'd love to see Square Enix revive the old Active-Time Battle system utilized in Final Fantasy games from the Super Nintendo and PlayStation One eras (From Final Fantasy 4 to Final Fantasy 9).
This system was still turn-based, but you had to make decisions quickly as enemies could act while you were deciding what action to perform during a character's turn. That way, combat would still be fast-paced without taking away the tactical nuances of turn-based combat.
Maybe this is why Square Enix announced a remaster for Final Fantasy Tactics, to further test the waters of players' interest in turn-based combat, so to speak?
Either way, I hope Square Enix is starting to finally realize that its experiments with real-time combat systems have run their course, and it's time for Final Fantasy to embrace its turn-based past in order to preserve its future.
